Alone in Thought
by Otempora42
Summary: Morgana had never been quite able to see Uther as a father. Especially not from behind bars. Uther/Morgana, spoilers for episode 1.12.


**From last night's episode. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.**

Alone in Thought

Morgana sat on the floor of the dungeon. The shackles chafed against her wrists – Morgana wasn't sure if they would scar, but they definitely hurt. Luckily, she wasn't forced to hang from the ceilings – there were manacles for that in here. Morgana had heard rumors of prisoners kept in iron maidens, but she was sure that even Uther wouldn't be that cruel. Mostly sure, at any rate.

The lock of the door clicked. Morgana looked up to watch the door swing open. She smirked at her visitor.

"Uther."

"If I was in your position," Uther said, "I'd consider saying 'my lord'".

"What are you doing here, _my lord._" Morgana glared at him, the man who had imprisoned her. The one that had hurt Gwen.

The man who had killed her father.

"I came to see if you had changed your mind."

Morgana spat at him. Uther was well out of range, but the point was clear.

Uther shook his head, looking ever so slightly amused. Morgana hated him more than ever.

"You've really taken this to heart, haven't you?"

"Of course I have. You killed an innocent man. My maid's father."

"He ran away. Why would an innocent man run?"

"Because he knew he was going to die."

"Maybe." Uther paused for a moment. "There is one thing I can't figure out, though."

Morgana didn't reply, didn't look away. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction."

"How," continued Uther, "did he get out? The bars were not bent – as far as I can tell, he just let himself out. And the only way he could've done that was if he had a key."

"He's a blacksmith," Morgana said, quickly. "_Was _a blacksmith. He probably knew how to pick a lock."

"The lock was intact. No," he said, shaking his head. "I'm thinking that someone gave him the key."

"Well, you know how useless the guards are." Morgana had heard him complaining about it several times. "One of them might have dropped it. I know." Morgana grinned. "You can kill them one by one until they reveal who did it. Isn't murder your catch-all solution?"

Uther didn't fall for the bait. Morgana cursed the erratic nature of his temper – he was angry when he should be calm, calm when you needed him to be angry. "I think that _you _gave him the key. So that he could escape."

"Yes, _I _gave him the key. Because I could slip it to him without any of the guards realizing it, because I'm just that sneaky." Morgana smirked. "_Please, _Uther."

"You've been known to help fugitives before. Why should this be any different?"

Morgana didn't have a response to that.

"I should kill you for this."

"You wouldn't," said Morgana, hoping that he was bluffing. "I have lived in Camelot since I was a child. I am the sister to your son!"

"Don't say that," Uther said, quietly. Morgana looked into his eyes. Their expression had changed. He'd gone from a quiet anger to... remorse? Guilt? Shame?

What was it that she had said?

"My lord?"

"I'll be back when you've seen reason." The flint in his eyes was back. "Until then, you will have no food."

Uther went to the door. Morgana stood up.

"My lord!"

Uther stopped. He turned to face Morgana.

Morgana remembered her first night in the castle. A child, mourning the loss of her father. All she'd known about Uther was that her father had died in his service. She'd hated him that night, her tears soaking the pillow. Morgana could still feel that ache, that desperate wish to just go home.

But then they'd grown closer. Camelot had become her home. As the memories of Gorlois faded, the image when she thought _father _had become that of Uther's face.

But it had never quite fit. She wasn't sure whether it was because of hatred or... something else. Something else entirely.

"It's a pity," Uther said. "You would've made a fine queen."

With that, he left the room and slammed the door shut, the lock snapping back into place as he did so.

Morgana sunk to her knees, alone in thought.


End file.
